[Zeeb]

I realized I'm still registered as "IND" which I've always understood as being a non-partisan. It earned me a dirty look from the poll worker in my blue state as everyone else had the "DEM" code next to their name.

After doing a little research, some scholars believe that a rise in unaffilated voters is a threat to democracy because they could give rise to an election centered on the candidate and not an ideology. I've been thinking about becoming affiliated since I guess there's no real benefit to being an independent. It seems to be more of a personal statement. Are independents a threat to democracy? lol

[Sayf-Allah]

Poll workers can see how you are registered?! As having to register isn't stupid enough.

You guys truly are the role models for the free world......

[SpaceMonkey]

The poll worker probably assumed from your IND label that you would be mavericky, and thus a McCain supporter.

[subego]

In Chicago, if you are anything other than a Democrat (i.e. vote in the Democratic primary), you effectively disenfranchise yourself from local politics. The primary is the race in most cases.

This was awhile back, but when Jim Ryan, a Republican, was running for Illinois Attorney General, his campaign posters for the Chicago area just said "Jim Ryan for Attorney General", after a little bit, stickers that said "Republican" started showing up on them.

[subego]

Originally Posted by Sayf-Allah 

Poll workers can see how you are registered?! As having to register isn't stupid enough.

You guys truly are the role models for the free world......

Where I live, you're not really "registered" for a party, but you can only vote in the primaries for one party.

Which primaries you've chosen to vote in is listed.

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by Sayf-Allah 

Poll workers can see how you are registered?! As having to register isn't stupid enough.

You guys truly are the role models for the free world......

Yeah, I've always been a mildly annoyed that your party affiliation is listed in large letters next to your name when you sign in. It's also somewhat visible to other voters as well, as the line at my polling place wrapped behind the poll worker with the book.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Zeeb 

After doing a little research, some scholars believe that a rise in unaffilated voters is a threat to democracy because they could give rise to an election centered on the candidate and not an ideology.

The United States really doesn't have the slightest clue about democracy, does it?

[subego]

^^ Yuck.

Here it's just penciled in, but it's public record.

Local party operators always try and bamboozle the election judges into filling out their party rolls, along with the election board's.

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

The United States really doesn't have the slightest clue about democracy, does it?

I had always thought that voting more on issues rather than voting for someone purely based on a party affiliation was a good thing -- but here all along I've been a threat to democracy.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

The United States really doesn't have the slightest clue about democracy, does it?

Given that the US was never meant to be a direct democracy, maybe it's just misphrased.

[Railroader]

Thank God the USA is not a true democracy.